The American company Pfizer discovered that its developing vaccine with the German company BioNTech is more than 90% effective in preventing Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an individual “without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first interim efficacy analysis.”
The vaccine has taken effect 7 days after the second dose and 28 days after the first dose. Pfizer and BioNTech are continuously gathering data. However, an emergency use authorization from the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can be acquired by the third week of November.
The pharmaceutical companies have estimated that they can supply around 50 million vaccine doses for 2020 and 1.3 billion doses by 2021. However, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña stated that the vaccine still needs to undergo clinical trial in the Philippines.
“Kung sila ay magsasagawa ng clinical, dadaan sa vaccine experts panel and doon mave-verify kasi ‘yung 90 percent na in-announce nila, sila ang nag-announce. Hindi naman natin alam ang detalye. Hindi natin alam ang data na sumusuporta diyan (If they will conduct a clinical [trial], they will have to go through the vaccine experts panel where it will be verified because they are the only ones who announced the 90%. We do not have enough details. We do not know the data that support that) .”
Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer which was reportedly 90 percent effective “will be sold to many of their allies, specifically the Philippines” at an affordable price.
“Iyong Pfizer ang unang lumapit sa atin… Right now, sila ang pinaka nauuna rito sa America na maa-approve dahil 90 percent ang efficacy (Pfizer approached us first… Right now, they are leading here in America for the vaccine approval with its 90 percent efficacy),” Romualdez reported.
According to Vaccine Czar and National Task Force on COVID-19 (NTF) Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Pfizer is one of the 5 top contenders in America that has a bilateral arrangement with the Philippines. America has initially stated that the Philippines will be prioritized when it comes to the vaccine.
Sec. Galvez trusts that there will be a supply of vaccine by the middle of 2021 or from May to July while the worst case scenario is that the supply will arrive by the end of 2021 until the first quarter of 2022. He disclosed that the Philippines may obtain around 10M to 15M supplies of vaccine from May to July. – Report from Mark Fetalco
